Rail anchor



0C1. .12, 1948. T R 2,451,127

RAIL ANCHOR Filed Sept. 20, 1946 INVENTOR LAWSON TARWATER WWW ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 12, 1948 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE RAIL AN CHOR Application September 20, 1946, Serial No. 698,315

2 Claims. l

This invention relates generally to means for anchoring railroad rails to' the cross ties to prevent creeping of the rails longitudinally.

Itis common practice to provide some means for anchoring rail-road rails to the ties to prevent their creeping longitudinally of the rail from the effect of the forces set up by trains passing over them. Various forms of rail anchors have been used-one of the most common of which consists of: a member'adapted to engage the lower flange ofarail and to extend below the rail in abutment relation to a tie. These elements ordinarily are used in pairs, one on each side of a tie, the members bearing against the sides of the tie for the purpose of anchoring the rail longitudinally. A disadvantage of this common method of anchoring the rails is the fact that some creeping of the rail necessarily takes place with the best railanchors available, with the result that the anchor is-leit in a position spaced away from the tie where it is rendered completely ineffective to further anchor the rail.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel and improved type of rail anchor which does not have the above noted disadvantage; It is a particular object of the invention to provide a rail anchor which engages both sides of the tie and which in itself is a two-way anchor designed to prevent creeping of the rail in either direction.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a railanchor which may be easily installed by the tools ordinarily available and which is selectively adjustable-to fit various widths of ties.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device which has a large area' of contact with the rail, with the result that the'anchor is firmly in engagement with the rail.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a rail anchor of the type indicated which is of rugged construction, is easy to manufacture, and has long life in service.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and the following description. Referring to the drawing:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a rail anchor embodying the invention, shown in conjunction with a section of rail and a portion of a cross tie;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on line '4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary inverted perspectiv view of one of the rail anchor members;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the other rail anchor member; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a modified form of anchor member.

More particularly describing the invention, reference numeral H]- generally indicates the rail anchor of the invention which is shown in position on a rail ll supported by cross ties, one of which is fragmentarily shown, indicated at l2. The rail anchor consists of two members, generally indicated by numerals l5 and H5. The first of these members includes an elongated flat metal bar [8 which may be formed of a mild steel or the like and is adapted toextend along the upper surface 19 of one side of the lower flange 20 of a rail. At one end, the bar I8 is provided with a head 22 which is disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the bar and is adapted to extend therebelow to abut against one side 23 of the tie [2. The head is in the form ofa platelike member and is provided with a slot 24, the lower wall 25 of which is horizontally disposed while the upper wall 26 is inclined in a manner to provide a-diverging slot. The inclination of the upper wall 26 is the same as the inclination of the'upper surface 19 of the lower flange 20 of the rail. In this connection it may also be pointed out that referably the entire bar or portion l8 of the member I5 is inclined so that the undersurface thereof will rest or lie upon the upper surface [9 of the aforementioned flange 20. Of course, this is not essential and the bar might be so constructed-that only the undersurface of the bar would correspond to the surface [9 of the flange of the rail. It is also contemplated that the engaging surfaces-0f the rail and the bar l8-need not be in engagement throughout the entire width of the bar.

The slot 24 is designed to receive" the lower flange of the rail, as most clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, and when the member is placed orfitted to the rail the bar I8 lies along the upper surface H] of the lower flange of the rail closely adjacent the web 28.

In order to securely anchor the rail against movement in either direction, the member I6 is provided for engaging the rail at a point spaced from the head 22 of the first member I5 and for engaging the side of the tie 29 opposite to that engaged by the head 22. This member I6 is also formed of a mild steel or other suitable material and consists of a bar which, in the form shown, in cross section is an I-bar having a very thick web or central section, as indicated by the numeral 36 in Fig. 4. The bar is bent to form a U-shaped end 3| which is connected by a bridging portion 32 to the opposite end 33. The end 33 is upturned numerals 46 and 41. a type capable of withstanding the usage contemplated for the device might be used. With this construction, the only electrical contact between the rail and the anchor would be in the i region of the anchor member I 6 and the anchor would not bridge conductively a break in the rail iintermediate the ends of the anchor.

3 at 34 to provide a face 35 adapted to engage the edge 36 of the lower flange 29 of the rail.

The U-shaped part 3! of the member 16 is adapted to very tightly fit ver the lower flange of the rail and the end of the bar 18 of the member i5. In order to position the member in place, it is necessary to drive the same onto the rail in order to spring it slightly to receive the bar l8 and the rail.

The member 16 is provided with a projecting tooth 38 on the upper portion 39 of the U-shaped end 3| the tooth depending on this portion from the inside of the U. The tooth is adapted to be selectively received in any one of a number of grooves 49 provided in the bar l8 of the member 15. With this construction it is possible to adjust the rail anchor means to any width of tie.

In installing the device, the member I5 is first positioned on the rail, as it is shown in the Figs. 1-3 of the drawing. The member I6 is then placed on the opposite side of the tie 12 to the side engaged by the head 22 and the end of the tooth 38 placed in the appropriate groove 39.

-A blow of a hammer can then be used for forcing the anchor member H5 onto and in tight engagement with the member 15 and the flange of the rail, the configuration of the member being such that as it is driven home the projecting portion 35 engages the opposite side of the rail and prevents its coming loose.

It is also contemplated that it may sometimes be desirable to use a rail anchor of the type disclosed herein which does not act as an electrical conductor from end to end which would bridge a gap of a broken rail where the break occurred intermediate the ends of the anchor and prevent the operation of the electrical means used for indicating such breaks in a rail. Therefore, in

'-Fig. '7, there is shown a rail anchor member iEa which is insulated from the rail throughout its "length. -This member comprises a bar 44 with slotted head 45 similar to the corresponding parts of the member 15 except that the undersurface of the bar and the inside of the slot are provided with suitable electrical insulation indicated by Any suitable insulation of Although the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to specific embodiments, it is contemplated that'various modifications and changes can be made without I claim: a.

1. A device for anchoring a rail to a cross tie on which it is supported, comprising a flat bar adapted to lie longitudinally along the upper surface of one side of the lower flange of a rail adjacent the web thereof and a platelike head at one end of said bar extending at right angles thereto, said head having a slot to receive the lower fiangeof said rail and being adapted to extend therebelow adjacent one side of a tie supporting the rail, said bar being provided with a plurality of transverse grooves in its upper surface at the end opposite said head, and a second member adapted to extend under said rail and engage both sides of said lower flange of the rail and the other side of said tie, said member being provided with a projecting tooth adapted to be selectively positioned in one of said grooves of said bar for securing said member and bar together.

2. A device for anchoring a rail to a cross tie on which it is supported, comprising a flat bar adapted to lie longitudinally along the upper surface of one side of the lower flange ofa rail adjacent the web thereof and a platelike head at one end of said bar extending at right angles thereto, said head having a slot to receive the lower flange of said rail and being adapted to extend therebelow adjacent one side of a tie supporting the rail, said bar being provided with a plurality of transverse grooves in its upper sur-, face at the end opposite said head, and a second member adapted to extend under said rail and engage both sides of said lower flange of the rail and the other side of said tie, said second member including a U-shaped end having a tooth projecting inwardly of the inner surface of the upper portion of the U and adapted to fit selectively in one of said grooves of said bar for securing the members together, said U-shaped end being adapted to receive said bar and the lower flange of the rail.

, LAWSON TARWATER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Number Name 7 Date 1,386,863 Harrington Aug "9, 1921 1,921,716 Woodings Aug. 8, 1933 2,314,750 Woodings Mar. 23,1943

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 437,689 Great Britain Nov. 4, 1935 551,870 Great Britain Mar. 12, 1943 

